Foot cushions carried by the foot



y 1, 1966 w. M. SCHQLL 3,253,591

FOOT CUSHICNS CARRIED BY THE FOOT Filed Sept. 50, 19 3 2 Sheets-Sheet 1ZM/ W TO NE YS May 31, 1966 w. M. SCHOLL FOOT CUSHICNS CARRIED BY THEFOOT 2 eets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 50, 1963 wxfi INVENTOR, Alla elm M sz/jogg BY V / T ORNEYS United States Patent 0 3,253,591 FOOT CUSHIONSCARRIED BY THE poor William M. Scholl, 213 W. Schiller St., Chicago,111. Filed Sept. so, 1963, Ser. No. 312,517 10 Claims. c1. 12s 1s3 Thisinvention relates to improvements in foot cushions carried by the foot,and more particularly to corrective foot cushions for alleviating theaggravating conditions of depressed or fallen arches, calluses, corns,bunions, hammer toes, and other and various foot afflictions, thecorrective cushions being of the type that are attached directly to thefoot either by way of a toe loop, adhesive tape, strapping, or by way ofadhesive carried by the cushion itself, the cushions being made in manyand various shapes and sizes depending upon the particular afiiictionsthey are designed to remedy, all as will be apparent to one skilled inthe art.

Pads of various sizes and kinds for the same purposes have beenheretofore made utilizing padding, fleece, felt, sponge rubber, foamrubber, thermoplastic foams, and other materials to act as the cushion.In many instances these materials were covered with fabric, plasticfilm, and other materials. Such pads, as made'heretofore, weredisadvantageous, mainly because they did not promptly conform to thecontour of the part of the foot with which they were in contact, take apartial set, and retain that contour a relatively long period of timeafter pressure of footwear or the foot had been removed. Consequently ifone of the pads was removed temporarily during bathing, sleeping, or forsome other reason, difliculty was experienced in accurately replacingthe pad in the proper position upon the foot. With pads made of felt,padding, fleece, and similar substances should they ultimately acquire apartial shape in keeping with the part of a foot they were by then socompacted as to be ineffective for good remedial results; iesubstantially worn out. Pads made of resilient foam latex orthermoplastic foams and the like have practically an instant recoveryfactor and immediately upon relief of pressure assume their originalshapes. Such pads were not only difficult to replace after removal intthe same position as before, but were also subject to slippage. In manycases as well, formerly known pads of this type were short lived to anobjection able extent. Consequently, with devices of this typeheretofore known it was virtually impossible to acquire a reallyaccurate fit of the device against the foot in the region of contactwith the foot.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instantinvention to provide a foot cushioning device for direct attachment tothe foot, which device is self-conforming to intimately fit the portionof the foot against which it has contact and take at least a partial setso as to retain its conformed shape for a relatively long period of timeafter pressure on the device is removed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a foot cushioningand corrective device for attachment directly to the foot and which uponthe application of foot or shoe pressure thereupon almost instantlyassumes a shape complemental to the portion of the foot it contacts, andwhich is possessed of a low recovery factor, so that the conformed shapeis retained to a material extent long after pressure has been removed.

A further feature of the instant invention is the provision of a footcushioning and corrective appliance for attachment directly to the foot,which appliance immediately upon the application of a pressure conformsto the exact shape of the part of the foot it rests against and has sucha low recovery factor that if used regularly, it will retain itsconformed shape a relatively long time Patented May 31, 1966 afterremoval whereby it may be readily and easily replaced upon the foot inthe proper and correct position it had before, and the advent ofslippage at any time is minimized.

It is a further feature of this invention to provide a foot cushioningdevice for attachment to the foot, which device embodies a thermoplasticfoam cushioning material that is substantially non-porous and airimpervious, and which is preferably a closed cell structure so that itwill be self-conforming to the part of the foot it contacts immediatelyupon the application of pressure and retain its conformed shape for amaterial length of time after removal of pressure.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantagesof the instant invention have been above pointed out, othters willbecome apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a device embodyingprinciples of the instant invention, showing the same in operativeposition on a human foot;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a device ofdifferent shape, but embodying principles of the instant invention inoperative position upon a foot;

FIGURE 3 illustrates a different form of the invention in operativeposition on the human foot;

FIGURE 4 illustrates still another form of the invention in operativeposition upon a foot;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the device ofFIGURE I removed from the foot taken substantially as indicated by theline VV of FIG- URF, 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is a greatly enlarged vertical sectional view of the structureshown in FIGURE 3 taken substantially as indicated by the line VI-VI ofFIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a greatly enlarged vertical sectional view takensubstantially as indicated by the line VII-VII of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a a greatly enlarged vertical sectional view takensubstantially as indicated by the line VIII-- VIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary diagrammatic view illustrating the action ofthe cushioning material of the instant invention; and

FIGURE 10 is a vertical sectional view through another form of theinvention illustrating a different method of attachment to the body.

As shown on the drawings:

As stated previously, the instant invention may be made in variousshapes and sizes, depending upon what particular affliction a particularsize and shape of cushioning device is to remedy. By way of exampletherefore, and not by way of limitation, I have shown several sizes andshapes of the invention for alleviating discomfort due to afflictions onvarious parts of the foot. Any of the devices may be easily attacheddirectly to the foot of the user in the region of the particularafliiction.

The first illustrated form of the instant invention, seen in FIGURES 1and 5, is a device for alleviating the effect of a fallen longitudinalarch of the foot. .This device comprises an elastic band 1 inside ofwhich is a preformed block or piece 2 of thermoplastic foam, this blockor piece being shaped to underlie the longitudinal arch of the foot. -Asseen in FIGURE 1, where the device is properly applied to a human foot3, the elastic band 1 circumscribes the foot around the instep, and theblock 2 is held against the inner longitudinal arch of the foot. Thefoot is then relieved of discomfort by the device whether or not anarticle of footwear is worn at the time,

- arch.

and the deviceperforms its remedial function even though the wearer bebarefoot.

In FIGURES 2 and '8, the invention is shown in a form to provide relieffor hallux valgus, bunions, and similar.

afliictions. In this instance the device comprises two superposed layers4 and 5 of thermoplastic foam joined together by a heat seal seam 6around the bounding edge of the device, this seam 6 preferably being afine line heat seal seam. The layers are complementally apertured in anintermediate region of the device as indicated at 7 and a fine line heatseal seam 8 joins the layers around the opening 7. A toe loop 9 may beinserted between layers near the forward end of the device as seenclearly in FIGURE 8, and this toe loop may be of commonly known fabricelastic tape, thermoplastic film, or any suitable material. When thisdevice is applied to the foot, the loop 9 may be engaged over the largetoe 10 as seen in FIGURE 2, and the device extends rearwardly along theinner side of the foot so as to receive the enlarged metatarsal jointwithin the aperture 7 so that the body portion of the device may relieveshoe pressure from the affliction and transfer that pressure to healthytissue therearound. The device will be held in place by hosiery duringuse.

Another form of the invention is illustrated in FIG- URES 3 and 6 and inthis instance the invention is shaped and sized to underlie the plantarsurface of the foot in the region of the metatarsal arch. This form ofthe device relieves calluses on the sole of the foot in this location,pain from a fallen metatarsal arch, the discomfort effected bysupernumerary or sesamoid bones, burning caused by high heel shoes, andthe device compensates for reduction in tissue beneath the metatarsalheads which occurs as a person grows older. In this instance, the devicecomprises superposed layers 11 and 12 of thermoplastic foam, preferablygiven a somewhat oval shape, and secured together by a fine line heatseal seam 13 defining the bounding edge of the body part of the device.A toe loop 14, preferably of elastic material, may be provided in anysuitable manner, such as placing the loop between an offset neck portion15 on the body, and this toe loop will be caught and held in theaforesaid heat seal seam 13.

When this form of the invention is put to use, as seen in FIGURE 3, theoffset toe loop 14 is disposed around the second toe 16 of a foot, andthe body of the device underlies the region of the foot beneath themetatarsal It is preferable to have the toe loop offset and to make thedevices individually for left and right feet to insure better fit.

In FIGURES 4 and 7 I have illustrated the invention sized and shaped torelieve the aggravating and painful effects resulting from hammer toe.In this instance the device embodies upper and lower layers 17 and 18 ofthermoplastic foam joined around the bounding edge of the body part ofthe device by a fine line heat seal seam 19. The layers areintermediately apertured as indicated at 20, and joined by a fine lineheat seal seam 21 defining the aperture. The device may be provided witha digit loop 22, preferably elastic, in the manner above described. Withreference to FIGURE 4, it will be seen that when this device is put touse, it is disposed on top of a toe 23, such being a hammer toe, withthe digit loop 22 encircling the toe and with the device disposed sothat the corn usually present on top of the toe with this affliction isreceived within the aperture 20. The device extends rearwardly from theaperture farther than it does forwardly of the aperture to relievepressure from the corn, and gently urge the toe into straightenedposition.

In FIGURE 10 I have illustrated the invention in the form of a corn orcallous pad that is adhesively attached to the foot of the user. In thisinstance, the pad may be formed directly upon a facing sheet 24 providedwith a release surface thereon, this being merely an adhesive protectivesheet that is removed and discarded when the device is put to use.Superposed on the facing sheet is a lower thermoplastic film 25 such asvinyl or acetate film carrying a pressure sensitive adhesive on itsundersurface at 26. On that film 25 is a layer 27 of thermoplastic foamand, if desired, a cover film 28 of heat scalable material may beincluded. The two film layers and the foam layer 27 are all joinedtogether by a fine line heat seal seam 29 defining the bounding edge ofthe pad. In most cases an aperture 30 will be disposed through the lowerfilm and the thermoplastic layer, the upper film, if used, preferablyoverlying the aperture to prevent contact with clothing of exudationfrom an affliction or medicament. When the device is put to use, it is asimple expedient to tear off the facing sheet 24 from the pressuresensitive adhesive surface 26 and adhesively secure the pad to the bodyof the user with the particular affliction received within the opening30.

All of the above described sizes and shapes of the invention may bereadily made from superposed layers of stock material in a suitableelectronic heat sealing press, with a die shaped in accordance with thedesired shape of the resultant device. Such an electrode die may bebrought down upon the layers under pressure, and upon an almostinstantaneous charge of high frequency current the layers are fusedtogether to form the heat seal seams above mentioned, and at the sametime a tear seal seam is established so that waste stock may readily bestripped from the product.

In all forms of this invention, the thermoplastic foam material utilizedas the cushioning means is preferably from the group of foams includingthe vinyl foams, isocyanate or polyester, polyurethane, and similarfoams. Such foams are cellular, can be porous, nonporous, air perviousor impervious, have various densities, and various other physicalproperties depending upon particular formulas used and the controlexercised during the making of the foam, as is apparent to those skilledin the art. In most instances, such foams will be made with a highrecovery factor, so that they will return to their original shape almostinstantaneously upon the removal of pressure. Suc-h high recovery foamsmerely yield to pressure but do not, in effect, mold themselvesintimately to the contour of the surface they contact when underpressure. 'Des-iderata of the instant invention are the use ofself-conforming foam, and extremely slow recovery from the conformedshape upon the removal of pressure.

By way of specific example, one such foam that has been proven highlysatisfactory in tests and in actual usage, is what might be termed afully cured, closed cell, homopolymer polyvinyl chloride foam which isdiagrammatically shown in FIGURE 9. This foam generally indicated bynumeral 31 in effect comprises a skeleton 32 defining closed cells 33.The foam has a skin on each side thereof as indicated at 34 and 35 whichadds strength and enhances slow recovery of the foam since the skinsubstantially seals out air. The foam preferably has closed cells withinthe range of 70% to Accordingly, the foam is substantially non-porousand air impervious. The density of the foam may satisfactorily beapproximately 10 pounds per cubic foot.

While the foam may be made in substantially any desired thickness, as isapparent from the showing in FIG- URE 5, where layers of foam areutilized, a satisfactory thickness is approximately A; inch for eachlayer. Foam of this thickness was placed under what might be termed 50%compression set tests, and in the particular tests utilized, the foamwas placed for 22 hours at 158 F. under a load sufficientto reduce thefoam thickness to approximately 50% of its original thickness. At theend of 22 hours the load was taken off and the material allower torecover for two hours at 158 F. and then brought to room temperaturebefore recovery was measured. The average for a series of such tests wasapproximately 42% set, and 58% recovery over the two-hour period. In useat room or body temperatures, recovery is even slower.

Owing tothe skin on each side thereof, thefoam need have no coveringthereon, it being sufficiently smooth for hosiery to pass thereover evenwhen handled carelessly, and it provides a smooth clinging comfortablefeel to the flesh of the user.

When a cushioning device embodying principles of the instant inventionis attached to the foot of a user, the thermoplastic foam cushioningpart of the device will almost immediately upon the application ofpressure conform or mold itself intimately to the contour of the part ofthe foot it contacts. For example, if there is a protuberance of thefoot contacted by the foam material, there will be a depression asindicated .at 36 in FIGURE 9 in the foam, and that depression will notbe just a general hollow, but will intimately follow the exact contourand outline of the protuberance. The foam so faithfully conforms itselfto the body that prints of the skin will be in the foam. While the foammay be said to set under pressure againts the foot, it neverthelessretains its cushioning properties. For example, as indicated in FIGURE 9the foam in the left-hand portion of the figure is shown at its normalheight but under general pressure .the foam would decrease in thicknessas indicated in the-righthand portion of the figure, yet there is alwayssufficient foam beneath any pressure point to prvoide an ample cushionfDue to the low recovery factor of the foam, a device may be removed fromthe foot of the user for sleeping, bathing, or other purposes, and whilethere is bound to be some recovery upon removal of the device fullrecovery will not occur over an extremely long period of time. If thedevice is regularly worn, full recovery will not take place overnight.If the removal for a short period of time, say for one hour, therecovery will not be noticeable to the user. Consequently, the instantinvention provides a distinct advantage over devices heretofore knownfor similar purposes. Upon replacement of the device, the user is notput in the position, so to speak, of starting over again with a newdevice. The device is already shaped to fit the particular location onthe foot it formerly occupied, and fit in a comfortable and alleviatingmanner instantaneously. It is a simple expedient, therefore, to placethe device in exactly the position it formerly occupied on the foot andthere 18 no need for any discomfort upon replacement of the device whilethe foot adapts itself to that device again.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided an economical,long lived, and extremely efficient foot cushioning and correctingdevice for attachment directly to the human foot. The device isself-conforming and almost immediately assumes an intimate lit for thefoot surface it contacts, and the pattern or shape assumed by the deviceremains for a considerable time after pressure is removed, and thecushioning effect of the device is at all times present regardless ofthe conforming of the device, when in use.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A foot cushioning device comprising a body part of thermoplastic foamcushioning material which is self-conforming under pressure to thesurface contour of a foot and possessed of a low recovery factor of lessthan 70% in a two-hour interval after removal of pressure, and

means connected to said body part to attach said device directly to thefoot of a user.

2. A foot cushioning device comprising a body part of thermoplastic foamcushioning material which is self-conforming under pressure to thesurface contour of a foot and possessed of a low recovery factor of lessthan 70% in a two-hour interval after removal of pressure, said materialbeing substantially non-porous and air impervious, and

means connected to said body part to attach said device directly to thefoot of a user.

3. A foot cushioning device comprising a pair of superposed layers ofthermoplastic foam cushioning material having an integral imperviousskin on each side of each layer and forming a body part of the device,

at least one of said layers comprising a thermoplastic foam cushioningmaterial which conforms responsive to foot-applied pressure to thesurface contour of a foot and is possessed of a low recovery factor ofless than 70% in a two-hour interval after removal of pressure,

a heat seal seam joining said layers adjacent the perimeter of said bodypart, and

means connected to said layers to attach the device directly to the footof a user.

4. A foot cushioning device comprising a layer of thermoplastic foamcushioning material having an integral skin on each side thereofeliminating the need of a covering,

said layer being self-conforming under foot or shoe pressure to thesurface contour of a foot and having a low recovery factor, and

means connected to said layer to attach the device to the foot of auser.

5. A foot cushioning device comprising a pair of superposed layers ofthermoplastic foam cushioning material having an integral imperviousskin on each side of each layer,

a heat seal seam joining said layers around the perimeter of the device,

said layers being self-conforming under pressure to the surface contourof a foot and having a low recovery factor when pressure is removed, and

a loop connected to said layers to secure the device to the foot of auser.

6. A foot cushioning device comprising a pair of superposed layers ofclosed cell thermoplastic foam cushioning material,

a heat seal seam joining said layers around the perimeter of the device,

said layers being self-conforming under pressure to the surface contourof a foot and having a low recovery factor to retain the conformed shapea relatively long time after removal of pressure, and

a loop to encircle a part of the foot connected to said layers to holdthe device on the foot of a user.

7. A foot cushioning device comprising a body part of closed cellhomopolymer polyvinyl chloride foam having a skin on each side'thereof,which is substantially non-porous and air impervious and almostinstantly self-conforming under pressure to the surface contour of afoot and having a low recovery factor not exceeding 70% for a two-hourinterval after release of pressure, and

attaching means connected to said body part for securing the device tothe foot of a user.

8. A foot cushioning device comprising a block of thermoplastic foamcushioning material selfconforrni-ng under pressure to the surfacecontour of a foot and having a low recovery factor of less than 70% in atwo-hour interval after pressure removal, and

an elastic band connected to the deviceto encircle a part'of a foot andhold the device in proper position thereon.

9. A foot cushioning device comprising a layer of thermoplastic foammaterial self-conforming under pressure to the surface contour of a footand having a low recovery factor of less than 70% in two hours afterpressure removal,

a thermoplastic film,

a spread of pressure sensitive adhesive on one face of said film, and

a heat seal seam joining said layer and said film with said adhesive onthe exposed side of said film.

10. In a foot cushioning device,

a layer of fully cured closed cell homopolymer polyvinyl chloride foamhaving an integral skin on each side thereof making the foamsubstantially ,nonporous and air impervious,

said foam being self-conforming under foot-applied pressure to thesurface contour of the part of a foot it contacts and possessed of a 10Wrecovery factor of i I less than 70% in a two hour interval afterremoval.

of pressure thereon, and means connected to said layer for attaching thedevice to the foot of a user.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Hacklander264-248 Powers.

Scholl et a1 161--160 X Scholl 128153 Levitt 128- -153 Scholl 156222Olsen 16l161 X ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

3. A FOOT CUSHIONING DEVICE COMPRISING A PAIR OF SUPERPOSED LAYERS OFTHERMOPLASTIC FOAM CUSHIONING MATERIAL HAVING AN INTEGRAL IMPERVIOUSSKIN ON EACH SIDE OF EACH LAYER AND FORMING A BODY PART OF THE DEVICE,AT LEAST ONE OF SAID LAYERS COMPRISING A THERMOPLASTIC FOAM CUSHIONINGMATERIAL WHICH CONFORMS RESPONSIVE TO FOOT-APPLIED PRESSURE TO THESURFACE CONTOUR OF A FOOT AND IS POSSESSED OF A LOW RECOVERY FACTOR OFLESS THAN 70% IN A TWO-HOUR INTERVAL AFTER REMOVAL OF PRESSURE, A HEATSEAL SEAM JOINING SAID LAYERS ADJACENT THE PERIMETER OF SAID BODY PART,AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LAYERS TO ATTACH THE DEVICE DIRECTLY TO THEFOOT OF A USER.